Trumps budget proposal: Here are the cuts and spending increases
The White House released President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal that includes $163 billion in cuts. The proposal was sent to Congress, where the appropriations committees have until September to enact a spending framework, as FY26 begins Oct. 1.
It’s worth noting Congress never finalized a budget for 2025 and the federal government has been operating on what’s known as a continuing resolution for the entire year.
Here’s a look at the full proposal:
How much does the Trump administration want to cut?
International Space Station: -$500 million
The International Space Station is currently scheduled to be decommissioned at the end of 2030 and be pulled out of orbit in January 2031 via controlled descent into the South Pacific Ocean.
The administration said the budget would reduce crew size, onboard research and cargo flights to the station. They added that the reduced research capacity would be refocused on the Moon and Mars exploration programs.
Federal work-study: -$980 million
This program allows college students to get part-time jobs to help cover their educational expenses. A $980 million cut would be nearly all of its budget, which is typically between $1 billion to $1.2 billion annually.
Refugee and Unaccompanied Child Programs: -$1.9 billion
The administration said the funding is no longer needed because President Trump has secured the border and far fewer people are entering. It also said they would focus the mission on sheltering children and protecting them from trafficking.
In fiscal year 2023, the Office of Refugee Resettlement spent about $11 billion on these programs.
Transition Initiative fund: -$75 million
This is the fund the State Department uses when trying to shape political outcomes in foreign nations. In other words, if a small nation is going through a “political transition”, like a coup or upheaval, the State Department uses money from this account to promote democracy.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): -$4 billion
This program gives money to low-income households to help with their heating and cooling costs, ensuring their climate control doesn’t get shut off due to missed payments. The Trump administration wants to end the program by cutting its $4 billion in funding.
TRIO and GEAR UP: -$1.5 billion
TRIO and the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs help students from low-income families pursue higher education. The programs typically target first generation college students, those with disabilities and those from diverse backgrounds. The Trump administration is proposing to end the program by cutting its $1.5 billion in funding.
Biomedical research:
The Trump administration wants to cut $3.5 billion from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and $18 billion from the National Institutes of Health, or about 38% of its $47 billion annual budget. The administration is proposing to consolidate funding for infectious disease and opioids, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infectious and tuberculosis programs into one $300 million grant.
At the NIH, the administration wants to cease funding for multiple institutes and centers, including the National Institute on Minority and Health Disparities and the National Institute of Nursing Research.
The administration said it would give $27 billion to NIH for research.
Where does the administration want to increase spending?
Department of Homeland Security: $43 billion
This extra money would go toward deportations, border wall construction, border security technology, the Coast Guard and the Secret Service. It would also help with security preparations for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
Make America Healthy Again initiative: $500 million
According to the White House, this money would allow Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to work on nutrition, physical activity, healthy lifestyles, over-reliance on medication and treatments, the effects of new technological habits, environmental impacts, and food and drug quality and safety across HHS.
Human space exploration: $647 million
The administration wants to ultimately provide $7 billion for lunar exploration and $1 billion in new investments for Mars-focused programs. The White House said it will help the U.S. remain unparalleled, innovative and efficient in space exploration.
Charter Schools: $60 million
The Trump administration wants to give a total of $560 million to charter schools, which the White House contends have a proven track record of success.
Drinking water programs: $9 million
This would bring the total funding to $124 million for Environmental Protection Agency programs that ensure safe drinking water.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
